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New scheme to improve rail efficiency

[ June 3, 2016   //   ]

New scheme to improve rail efficiency

A new European project is aiming to improve underpeforming rail freight services in Europe. EU/Shift2Rail project (http://www.smartrail-project.eu/) is an EU-wide effort with 19 partners and consists of seven theoretical and practical work packages (WP).

German-based consultancy Railistics is leading WP6 which focuses on developing on single wagon load services in Europe and is currently piloting a service from Fos-sur-Mer to Sélestat in France with expansions planned to Antwerp and East Germany. It will also develop IT services to cope with a larger customer base and develop a business model suitable for a range of railway undertakings, terminals, logistics service providers and forwarders involved in single wagonload services.

Railistics is also involved in a further programme, WP8, which focuses on reliability during disruption. This has come about as a result of the construction work on the line between Emmerich and Oberhausen on the Dutch Border which is causing serious capacity issues.

Railistics is currently working with DB Netz, ProRail and a number of logistics service providers and railway undertakings to alleviate some of the issues. Testing is currently at an early stage and will progress over the next few months.

Other partners in the programme are involved in WP7 – development of a control tower for long distance freight transport by adapting an inland waterway IT system; WP3 – the development of effective and feasible business and governance models that will support the cooperation in the rail sector; WP4: as above with a focus on the supply chain; and WP5 – defining, developing and implementing tools and measures to improve the availability of information for rail freight stakeholders.

The programme is currently focusing on France, Germany, Belgium and Germany but in time there could be developments of interest to the UK.

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